Bilateral TKR BTKR Recovery - on the way to my new life!

@London Trainer What a great update! Sounds like you are making real progress. Well done! Yes, this recovery takes tons of patience and persistence. Slow and steady gets you there.

So glad to read you are already seeing positive results post BTKR!
 
Wow! You are doing great. Th.anks for sharing
 
It’s been a while since my last post - I’m now 16 weeks and 1 day from surgery and really turned a corner after 3rd January. I’m able to skip again! I’m only doing 2.5 minutes twice a week but I haven’t been able to skip without pain since October 2019 (when I got chondrocalcinosis on top of the existing arthritis) and it’s a wonderful feeling to be able to do more challenging workouts again.

I’m walking a lot more too - about 10,000-14,000 seps a day - and although I still have some niggles it’s all bearable and I’m only taking strong pain relief at night.

My flexion is now 115 in my right leg and 110 in my left leg, extension very nearly 0 - this is a huge improvement for me and I’m able to do stairs like a normal person!!! Bit uncomfortable coming down but doable.

Finally starting to see a future where I’ll be able to forget about my knees, where I can do things I haven’t been able to for years, where I can start new things too - such a massive struggle to get to this stage and there were far too many times where I felt totally discouraged and regretted the surgery. But now I’m starting to feel happy that I had it done, especially getting it done when I did before the new lockdowns.

Back at work - unfortunately Zoom sessions only until I can re-open my private gym - but in a way that’s a help for me right now because it’s giving me more time to focus on my recovery and get closer to full fitness.

Just really wanted to give a positive update in these horrendously difficult times - and hopefully reassure others that it does (eventually) start to get better. Everyone’s recovery is totally different and there should never be comparisons with how someone else is doing at a certain stage - that can be quite depressing - when I was getting super worried about my ROM I just kept reading the posts showing how it can progress over a year or two, without pushing too fast too soon and I found that a massive comfort.

It might seem that I’m exercising quite intensely for the stage that I’m at but I’ve been a Personal Trainer for 9 years and I’ve been exercising regularly for over 20 years. I’m lucky that I had the tools to push myself through a brutal pre-habitation programme before surgery too.

Wishing everyone a good recovery and hopefully a better New Year once the vaccination programme starts to kick in and gives us all back some of our freedom.
 
Sounds like you are doing great for 3 1/2 months into recovery @London Trainer, with lots of healing still in your future. :happydance: Hope things continue to go well.
 
@London Trainer

I was so delighted to see a recent post from you! I joined this wonderful forum on Jan 1 but I’d been lurking for quite a while before that and I read your whole thread and kept wondering how it was going for you now. And there you are skipping! Fab!

I am older than you, very much into fitness, running etc. and I go to a personal trainer twice a week which I love. Had to give up running in the summer - miss it so much - I’m still waiting for my TKR it was meant to be Monday but cancelled due to COVID.

Like you, my darling husband died (he was 57 I was 50 ) and I was just recovering from breast cancer. It’s so tragic and, even though it’s been 10 years now I still miss him sooo much. I know exactly how hard it is, especially when you have to go through something like the trauma of major surgery and you don’t have your “rock” there beside you. You have done so well.
 
Pressed “post” by mistake!

I wanted to ask you about running. My OS says a big “no” as the stress in each step is likely to loosen the cement. What does your surgeon say? From your posts he sounds great - how lovely to be able to email questions to him and get a reply! I did go to a surgeon like that in September (in London), and I was very impressed that he answered all my many questions, but due to several added complications with my knees (I have RA, plus the chemotherapy I had has caused bone cysts and osteopenia), he referred me to another OS who was more experienced in dealing with my problems. Oh how I would love to run again.

Anyway, I have rambled on enough. So pleased to hear you are progressing so well and now no longer regret the decision to have the op. Well done!
 
It’s been a while since my last post - I’m now 16 weeks and 1 day from surgery and really turned a corner after 3rd January. I’m able to skip again! I’m only doing 2.5 minutes twice a week but I haven’t been able to skip without pain since October 2019 (when I got chondrocalcinosis on top of the existing arthritis) and it’s a wonderful feeling to be able to do more challenging workouts again.

I’m walking a lot more too - about 10,000-14,000 seps a day - and although I still have some niggles it’s all bearable and I’m only taking strong pain relief at night.

My flexion is now 115 in my right leg and 110 in my left leg, extension very nearly 0 - this is a huge improvement for me and I’m able to do stairs like a normal person!!! Bit uncomfortable coming down but doable.

Finally starting to see a future where I’ll be able to forget about my knees, where I can do things I haven’t been able to for years, where I can start new things too - such a massive struggle to get to this stage and there were far too many times where I felt totally discouraged and regretted the surgery. But now I’m starting to feel happy that I had it done, especially getting it done when I did before the new lockdowns.

Back at work - unfortunately Zoom sessions only until I can re-open my private gym - but in a way that’s a help for me right now because it’s giving me more time to focus on my recovery and get closer to full fitness.

Just really wanted to give a positive update in these horrendously difficult times - and hopefully reassure others that it does (eventually) start to get better. Everyone’s recovery is totally different and there should never be comparisons with how someone else is doing at a certain stage - that can be quite depressing - when I was getting super worried about my ROM I just kept reading the posts showing how it can progress over a year or two, without pushing too fast too soon and I found that a massive comfort.

It might seem that I’m exercising quite intensely for the stage that I’m at but I’ve been a Personal Trainer for 9 years and I’ve been exercising regularly for over 20 years. I’m lucky that I had the tools to push myself through a brutal pre-habitation programme before surgery too.

Wishing everyone a good recovery and hopefully a better New Year once the vaccination programme starts to kick in and gives us all back some of our freedom.

thanks for sharing this update! as a fellow very active person who is looking very much forward to getting back to activities, it was great to read!
 
Thank you for all your lovely comments!

@Carmencita - I’m so desperately sorry for you losing your husband - the pain is so horrendous and never goes. The grief doesn’t get smaller but usually our world around the grief gets bigger - but with the current pandemic our worlds are shrinking. I’ve noticed that I’ve been falling into more grief pits but I’m also having the time to grieve and remember all the wonderful times I had with him. So hard for you as well given that you were recovering yourself. My heart goes out to you.

My surgeon is so amazing! He’s the reason I finally did the surgery. From the first consultation he was saying yes, of course I can run again (but he’d prefer me not to run a marathon). He just said as long as I’m sensible and stick to running on grass (which I’ve had to do anyway since my back surgery in 2010) that it would be absolutely fine and would help build up the muscles more to increase the life of the implants (which he expects to last 25 years plus - not enough data to show longer but he did say that he doubted very much that I’d have to have the surgery again if I looked after the new joints properly). I used to run 5k three times a week but I’m planning to get back to just doing it once a week and using my treadmill for shorter bursts.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have such a experienced and caring surgeon. He qualified in 1979 and is sadly looking to retire in the next year or so. From the first moment I saw him he told me that my life would be even better after the implants and that I’d be able to do all the things I wanted to - and more! - without the debilitating pain.

Being a PT has also helped massively with my prehab and rehab. I’ve been using TRX suspension training since 2012 and they’re wonderfully supportive. I can’t wait to be able to do a TRX handstand again (hopefully later on in the year).

I really hope you get your surgery rescheduled soon - it’s so incredibly brutal and the absolute worse surgery I’ve ever been through - made my back surgery look like a picnic in the park! - but it’s been life changing already and I’m not even at the 4 month mark yet. Keep thinking how much more improvement to come as well. Hadn’t realised just how much the horrendous pain was limiting me because it was a gradual process over 6 years. One of the best things for me now is going up and down steps normally - never thought I’d be able to do that again - does twinge going down still but doable.

Good luck to everyone who’s gone through or waiting to go through TKR and hoping restrictions ease soon for all of those having their surgery cancelled due to the pandemic.
 
Hi @London Trainer

Thank you so much for your lovely post and kind thoughts. Bereavement and grief are so overwhelming it takes your breath away sometimes. In the months after I lost my husband I really didn’t want to live and I had even planned how I was going to end it all. But my mother in law had already lost 2 husbands and then her son, it was the thought of her that kept me going (she’s coming up for 97 now)!

Your surgeon sounds wonderful indeed. I was running 3-5k 2x per week (never on hard ground), and on the treadmill at the gym, and just to go back to it would be wonderful, even if it was just once a week. But I need to get my knee done and get into recovery first! Surprisingly I’m still managing a lot of activities, I’m a cold water swimmer and at this time of year the cold water does wonders for pain relief and swelling! I’m also still doing yoga, although I have to compromise on some poses, I’m going to my PT twice a week (again having to compromise) and I walk my dogs every day. I’m trying to do daily pre hab as well, quad strengthening mainly - it’s alarming how quickly the quads recede....

Would you mind if I asked who your surgeon is please? There aren’t many who advocate running after TKR, even though I have yet to find any concrete evidence that running loosens the implant and reduces the life of the prosthesis - and I have googled myself silly trying to find info!

So pleased to hear from you and wishing you better and better days.
 
It’s now almost 6 months since my surgery and I saw my lovely surgeon today. He’s really pleased with my progress, the x-rays look great and he‘s now discharged me, also clearing me for running! He then told me that they don’t usually operate on patients with such severely advanced arthritis and said my knees were some of the worst he’d ever seen . . .

I honestly hadn’t realised how depressed I’d been getting with the constant pain. The best thing for me now is being able to go up and down stairs normally. I was doing a PT zoom session and the doorbell went and I ran up and down stairs without even thinking (before bursting into tears of happiness).

I’ve been working really hard on my rehabilitation and am now in my 8th week of doing over 100,000 steps weekly as I’m walking 45 minutes on my treadmill 6 days a week, skipping 3 times a week (only for 2.5 minutes each time), dog walking, daily life etc, 4 weekly workouts and trying to avoid driving unless I absolutely have to. I’ve also been going for fortnightly soft tissue massage which has really helped, although will have to go monthly now as can’t afford it so frequently.

i know that so many people on this forum won’t have a result like this but for me this has truly been life changing. Seeing a future now where I can do almost anything I want is such a gift. Still smiling after this morning‘s good news and just knowing that I won’t have to move to a flat or give up my career - I feel very blessed and extremely lucky.

Wishing everyone the very, very best in their recoveries and I’m posting now because I want to show that it can be positive. Before Christmas I was regretting ever having had the surgery and couldn’t see a future like I can now.
 
What a awesome update! We’re so happy for you!
 
@London Trainer
So glad you are making such great progress in your recovery. You are an inspiration for many on here, me included. Next month will be 3 years since I first started having significant pain in my knees.
I am looking so forward to having my bilateral replacements and hope I can get back to a normal life again. I do not have a date yet but hoping Covid gets under control and I get the call from the surgeons office soon.
Thank you so much for posting and best of luck for continued success in your recovery.
 
Love your posts, I'm just over 4 months and seeing progressive improvements in my daily life. Your recovery made me smile.
 
Great update @London Trainer! Recovery from TKR can be rough in the early days but well worth it to regain a pain free mobile life! :happydance:
 
Hi @London Trainer

So pleased to read your latest post! I’ve been wondering how you were doing and very encouraged to hear how well you’re bouncing back to normal life. You are an inspiration! It’s lovely hearing about all the things you’re doing, especially stairs foot over foot, skipping, lots of walking, back training people, etc.

I’m 6 weeks today, it’s been an up and down ride, but I am back with my Personal Trainer 2x per week (1 session soft tissue massage, works wonders) and I’m doing physio 2 x per week.

You are my role model!
 
Hi , you are a brave lady having both done ,I’m six weeks left TKR one was bad enough never mind two ,anyway as the days and weeks slip by your pain will ease I wish you good luck and keep safe.
Regards Steve.
 
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